Dania starts $7.5M marina project

Under clear skies perfect for skimming the sea, Dania Beach officials recently celebrated the kickoff of the $7.5 million Dania Beach Marina renovation project with a groundbreaking ceremony.

When work is completed in spring 2014, the city will have a "spectacular 120-slip marina next to our beach," said Mayor Walter Duke.

The marina, at 101 N. Beach Road, will feature 120 floating concrete docks with utility hookups, seven free public docks financed by the county, a boaters' lounge with space for the dock master, laundry, restroom and lounge facilities, a lighted, landscaped promenade with turtle-friendly lighting, a covered pavilion for picnics and gatherings, gazebos, a pump-out facility and a fish cleaning station.

The city received about $4 million in grants for the project from the county and the Florida Inland Navigation District and will fund the rest with a loan to be paid back from future marina revenues, said Assistant City Manager Colin Donnelly.

Duke said the project is part of a multi-step waterfront revitalization plan.

"Phase one was the new Quarterdeck restaurant that recently opened here on our fishing pier, and the final phase will be a cleaning up and improvement of our parking and public beach areas," he said.

Mike Grady, a member of the city's Marine Advisory Board, is excited about the project.

"It's been needed for a long time," he said. "We've been pushing for this, and when it's done, I'm putting my boat here. This spot is paradise, and this is going to make it a real destination."

In January, all existing floating docks were demolished, said John Louis, regional manager for Westrec Marinas, which manages the facility. Boats at the floating docks were relocated to nearby Westrec-operated facilities and were offered the same rate as was being paid to the city, he said.

After the first phase is complete, the 42 boats at the fixed docks will be relocated to the newly completed areas until the project's completion.

Over the next few months, work will involve dredging the newly demolished areas, sinking piles for the new docks and fabricating the seawall panels. Work over the summer will entail installing utility lines, demolishing the last of the docks, dredging and installing the floating docks. Work on the dock master building, gazebos and more is slated to start later in the year.